Provides that when a local social services district is in contact with a relative or non-relative kinship caregiver or a suitable person who the district has approached about being a kinship caregiver, such district shall provide written information to such caregivers or prospective suitable persons; further provides that such information shall include, but not be limited to, information relating to child only grants; information about how to become a kinship foster parent and other options for care; and information on how to contact the department of family assistance kinship programs and any resources funded through or operating in the local social services district for relative and non-relative kinship caregivers, including those that provide supportive services for all relative and non-relative kinship caregivers in the district.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A569
SPONSOR: Jaffee TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to services for relative and non-relative kinship caregivers
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would ensure that local districts inform both contacted care-
givers and potential caregivers about services, and that local districts
establish referral procedures which connect all kinship families with
the local kinship programs, or, when applicable, permanency resource
centers.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill amends Section 392 of the social services law by
adding language specifying that written information regarding how to
become a kinship foster parent and other options for care, and how to
contact the department of family assistance or kinship programs and/or
resources.
Section two of the bill sets for the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
In New York State, grandparents, other relatives, and family friends
provide full time care for an estimated 200,000 children, with less than
3,400 of these children in foster care. Commonly called kinship care,
these families are a critical resource for the well-being of vulnerable
children.
This bill clarifies how local districts will help kinship families by
connecting them to information and services. County social services
districts are required by current Social Services Law Section 392 to
inform kinship caregivers about the child only grant. However, as
reported by kinship caregivers and professionals, provision of informa-
tion is inconsistent and sometimes absent. Given the need of local
districts to rely on kinship families as resources for children, the
legislature acknowledges the importance of kinship families and the
necessity of ensuring that all kinship families who are in contact with
local districts are informed of eligible services and connected to
supportive services.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
3/22/18 Passed Assembly
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect sixty days after having become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
569
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JAFFEE, WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to services for
relative and non-relative kinship caregivers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 392 of the social services law, as added by section
2 3 of part F of chapter 58 of the laws of 2010, is amended read as
3 follows:
4 § 392. Services for relative and non-relative kinship caregivers. 1.
5 Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, when a local
6 social services district is in contact with a relative or non-relative
7 kinship caregiver or a suitable person who the district has approached
8 about being a kinship caregiver, [local social services districts] such
9 district shall [make] provide written information as described in subdi-
10 vision two of this section to such caregivers or prospective suitable
11 persons. Such information shall also be made available through the
12 [district's] website [or] of both the office and the district and by
13 other appropriate means [information for] in a manner accessible to
14 relatives and non-relatives caring for children outside of the foster
15 care system.
16 2. Such information shall include but not [necessarily] be limited to:
17 [1.] a. information relating to child only grants, including but not
18 limited to, how to apply for child only grants; [and]
19 b. information about how to become a kinship foster parent and other
20 options for care; and
21 [2.] c. information on how to contact the department of family assist-
22 ance [or] kinship programs and any resources funded through or operating
23 in the local [department of] social services [funded resources] district
24 for relative and non-relative kinship caregivers, including those that
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02788-01-9
A. 569 2
1 provide supportive services for all relative and non-relative kinship
2 caregivers in the district.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
4 have become a law.
